Median boardroom pay in the US has risen, breaking through to $300,000 (£227,800).

The news comes in a survey of director remuneration in 2017-18 by consultants Compensation Advisory Partners (CAP).

The figure is up 3.4% on the $290,000 of last year. The survey reveals that average total pay is made up of 61% equity and 39% cash.

Dan Laddin, a partner at CAP, told The Wall Street Journal: “The responsibility and scrutiny directors are under has just increased dramatically.”

The research found that 54% of the largest 100 companies have a pay cap in place for director remuneration, up from 47% last year.

CAP’s report said: “The limits are largely due to advancement of litigation where the issue has been that directors approve their own annual compensation and are therefore deemed to be inherently conflicted.

“Limits range from $250,000 to $4.75m, with a median limit of $750K. Companies that denominate the limit in shares tend to have a higher dollar-equivalent limit, with a median of $1.1m. The median for the companies with value-based limits is $600,000.”